Kane's Kitchen - 30th August 2011 - Chow Mein

Chow Mein

Serves:  4    

Prep Time:  20 mins

Cook Time:  40 mins

What You’ll Need:

• 500g beef mince
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 onions, chopped
• ½ cabbage, sliced,
• 2 carrots, chopped finely
• 45g pack chicken noodle soup mix
• 400g beans, chopped (or canned)
• ½ cup peas
• ½ celery, chopped
• 1 red chilli, chopped
• 2 tbsp curry powder
• 1/3 cup oyster sauce
• ¼ cup light soy sauce
• 1-2 cups chicken stock
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 400g bag hokkien noodles

What You’ll Need To Do:

1.        Brown the mince in a large wok or heavy based saucepan and add garlic, onions and chilli.  Cook for 2 minutes.

2.        Add carrots and celery and cook for a further 3 minutes.

3.        Stir in chicken noodle soup mix, curry powder, oyster sauce, soy sauce and black pepper. 

4.        Add 1 cup of chicken stock and remaining vegetables – beans, peas and cabbage.

5.        Turn the heat down and simmer gently for 30 minutes or until cabbage has softened

6.        Cook hokkein noodles as per packet instructions.  Add noodles to the wok and stir through.  Thicken the mix with cornflour if needed.  Serve immediately. 

Kane's Kitchen - 23rd August 2011 - White Chocolate and Raspberry Cheesecake

This cheesecake is quick and easy and makes for a special treat for the family or an impressive dinner party dessert!  Substitute raspberries with any berries that are in season. 

  

 

White Chocolate and Raspberry Cheesecake

Serves:  8    

Prep Time:  25 minutes

Cook Time:  At least 3 hours setting time

What You’ll Need:

• 185g Marie biscuits, crushed
• 90g unsalted butter, melted
• 500g cream cheese, softened
• 395g tin sweetened condensed milk
• 100g white cooking chocolate
• 1 tbsp gelatine
• ¼ cup hot water
• ¾ cup cream
• 150g pureed raspberries
• Extra raspberries and white chocolate to garnish

What You’ll Need To Do:

1.        Dissolve the gelatine in hot water.  Allow to cool.

2.        Crush biscuits in a food processor or put them in a brown paper bag and bash with a rolling pin.  Add the melted butter and mix.  Press the mixture into the base of a 23cm spring form pan and refrigerate until firm. 

3.        Beat the cream cheese and condensed milk until smooth.  Beat in the cream.  Set aside.

4.        Melt the white chocolate in the microwave and allow to slightly cool.  Beat the cooled chocolate and gelatine into the cream cheese mixture and spread evenly over the biscuit crumb base.  Swirl raspberry puree through the cheesecake mixture. 

5.        Refrigerate cheesecake for at least three hours or until firm.  To serve, place whole raspberries on top of the cheesecake and garnish with white chocolate shavings. 

Kane's Kitchen - 16th August 2011 - Red Curry Duck Leg with Steamed Rice and Lychee Salad

I am a huge fan of duck! It is full of flavour and goes great with Asian herbs and spices.  For this recipe, if you can't find duck stock you can substitute with chicken stock.  Palm sugar can also be substituted with brown sugar.  

Red Curry Duck Leg with Steamed Rice and Lychee Salad

Serves:  4    

Prep Time:  15 minutes

Cook Time:  at least 90 minutes

What You’ll Need:

• 4 duck legs (Maryland cut)
• 2L duck stock (or chicken stock)
• 3 tbsp red curry paste
• 1 x 400ml can coconut cream
• 1 x 400ml can coconut milk
• 2 cloves garlic, halved
• 1 red onion, cut into wedges
• Thumb of ginger, sliced
• ½ stalk lemongrass, chopped
• 2 kaffir lime leaves
• 1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped
• 1 tbsp palm sugar, grated
• 1/3 cup thai basil
• 1/3 cup Vietnamese mint
• Root off a bunch of coriander, sliced
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 whole bok choy, cut in half lengthwise
• ½ cup spring onions, chopped
• 4 lychees, quartered
• 1 cup bean sprouts
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• ¼ cup deep fried shallots, chopped (garnish)
• 1 red chilli (for garnish), thinly sliced

   

What You’ll Need To Do:

1.        In a large stockpot, bring the duck stock to the boil.  Place duck legs into the stock, ensuring they are fully covered.  If they aren’t, add additional water.  Boil uncovered for 15 minutes.  Turn the heat to the lowest setting and replace lid.  Simmer very gently for at least 60 minutes. 

2.        While the duck is cooking, prepare the curry paste.  In a hot frypan, add the curry paste and cook for two minutes or until the spices are fragrant.  If it is sticking to the pan, add some coconut milk.  Add the garlic, chilli, red onion, ginger, lemongrass and coriander root and cook for a further two minutes. 

3.        Transfer to a small saucepan and add the coconut milk, coconut cream, fish sauce, kaffir lime leaves. Thai basil and palm sugar.  Reduce the mixture on a low heat until it has slightly thickened (approximately 45 minutes).   

4.        Cook rice as per packet instructions or in a rice cooker. 

5.        For the salad, combine the bean sprouts, spring onions, lychees and whole Vietnamese mint leaves in a bowl.  Mix through 1 tsp sesame oil. 

6.        Remove duck from the stock and lay on a baking tray, skin side up.  Place under a hot grill and render down the fat and allow the skin to crisp (approx 5 minutes). 

7.        Blanch the bok choy in boiling water for one minute. 

8.        To plate, make a mound of rice on one side of the plate and place the bok choy on the other side.  Put one duck leg on the bok choy and top with a generous amount of the red curry sauce.  Finally, top the duck with the salad and garnish with thin slices of red chilli and deep fried shallots.  

Kane's Kitchen - 9th August 2011 - Kingfish Ceviche with Salted Onions in Wonton Baskets

Kingfish Ceviche with Salted Onions in Wonton Baskets

Serves 4                     Cooking time:  20 minutes

Ingredients

200g fresh kingfish, thinly sliced

1 long red chilli, chopped

2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

juice of 2 limes

1 tsp castor sugar

1 tbsp toasted desiccated coconut

4-6 wonton skins

1 clove garlic, cut in half (for rubbing the wonton skin)

½ brown onion, finely sliced

ground sea salt

 

Method

1. For the salted onions, spread the finely sliced onions on a plate and top with a generous amount of sea salt.  Set aside for at least 30 minutes to cure. Wash salt off onions. 
2. For the wonton baskets, deep fry square wonton sheets in oil until brown.  Remove and shape over the base of a glass so to form a basket (as you would a brandy snap basket).  Set aside. 
3. For the ceviche mix, combine the lime juice, sugar, coriander, chilli and olive oil in a bowl.  Test for acidity vs sweet ratio. 
4. Add sliced kingfish to the bowl and “cook” for 5-10 mins or until the flesh of the fish just turns white.  Strain the mix and add the salted onions and toasted coconut. 
5. Rub some garlic over the wonton basket.  Spoon the ceviche mixture into the basket.  Garnish with a sprig of coriander and a drizzle of olive oil.  Serve with a wedge of fresh lime.

Kane's Kitchen - 2nd August 2011 - Spiced Carrot and Pumpkin Soup

   

Spiced Carrot and Pumpkin Soup

Serves:  6    

Prep Time:  15 mins

Cook Time:  45 mins

What You’ll Need:

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tbsp butter
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 sweet potato, chopped
• 4 cups chopped pumpkin
• 3 stalks of celery, chopped
• 1 tsp garam masala (curry powder)
• ½ tsp chilli powder
• 2 tsp paprika
• ½ tsp nutmeg
• 3 cups vegetable stock
• ½ cup sour cream
• ¼ cup coriander, chopped
• Salt and pepper to season
• Additional water if required
• Cornflour to thicken, if required

 What You’ll Need To Do:

1.        In a large stock pot, heat butter and sauté the onion and the garlic for two minutes. 

2.        Add the carrots, sweet potato, pumpkin, celery, vegetable stock and spices.  Bring to the boil.  Once boiled, reduce to a simmer and cook until vegetables are tender (approximately 30 minutes).

3.        Once vegetables are tender, transfer the mixture into a food processor in batches. Puree the soup until it has a smooth texture.  Repeat with remaining ingredients. 

4.        Once the soup has a smooth consistency, transfer to another stock pot and heat over a low heat.  Test the consistency – if you want a more runny soup, add some water.  If you like a thicker soup, thicken up by adding 1tbsp cornflour to 1tbsp water and mixing and then adding gradually to the soup.

5.        Test for seasoning and add salt and pepper if required. 

6.        To serve, ladle soup into serving bowls and stir through some sour cream and top with chopped coriander.