Cook Up With Donna Hay...

My latest Cook Up with Vicki from Donna Hay magazine...

Menu was...Spiced Lemon Chicken

Creamed Corn Polenta

Sticky Date Pudding (adapted using gluten free self raising flour and rapadura sugar)

Creamed Corn Polenta from this issue...

Sticky Date Pudding from this issue...

Rapadura Sugar and Butter melting...

Pudding cooked...

Texture and colour using the Rapadura...I don't think the colour is much different to using other sugars...

The sauce was delicious...topped with a 'blob' of cream...YUM YUM YUM!!!

Especially since I can rarely buy Sticky Date Pudding gluten free even though it is all over the place in cafes and restaurants!!!

Bon Appetit...Dzintra 

Cook Up With Vicki Recipes

I recently participated in a Cook Up With Vicki from the December/January issue of the Donna Hay magazine...

We do this Cook-Up from every magazine issue and then blog it...

Anyone who would like to join us is most welcome...

just cook something from the latest issue and blog it!!!

Prawns with Lime Mayonnaise...

Sage and Prosciutto Corn Cakes...

Tray Roasted Vegetables...

Greens with Crispy Sage Butter...

My latest new read...Lunch in Paris by Elizabeth Bard

And to top off the dinner and the new read Hubby's contribution to the meal!!!

Recipes follow for...

Prawns with Lime Mayonnaise
Greens with Crispy Sage Butter
Tray Roasted Vegetables

PRAWNS WITH LIME MAYONNAISE (Serves 8)

2 1/2 C (750g) whole-egg mayonnaise

2/3 C (160ml) lime juice

2/3 C (125ml) sea salt flakes

1/3C finely grated lime rind

48 cooked prawns, peeled, tails intact

• Place mayo and lime juice in a bowl and mix well to combine. Set aside



• Place salt and lime rind in a bowl and mix well to combine



• Serve the prawns with the lime mayo and lime salt for dipping.

GREENS WITH CRISPY SAGE BUTTER

• 700g green beans, trimmed



• 4 bunches broccolini, trimmed



• 150g salted butter, chopped



• 1 bunch sage, leaves picked



• sea salt and cracked black pepper



• Cook beans and broccolini in a large saucepan of salted boiling water for 2 m or until tender



• Drain and refresh under running cold water. Set aside



• Place butter in a frying pan over medium heat and stir until melted



• Add sage leaves and cook 3-4m or until crispy



• Add beans, broccolini, sea salt and pepper and toss until warmed through



• Arrange on a serving plate and spoon over sage butter to serve

Serves 8

TRAY ROASTED VEGETABLES

• 1 butternut pumpkin



• 1k chat (baby) potatoes, halved



• 2 bunches baby beetroot, trimmed and halved



• 12 pickling onions, peeled



• 2 bunches baby carrots, trimmed and peeled



• 1 head garlic, cloves separated



• 2 pieces lemon rind



• 1 bunch thyme



• olive oil



• sea salt and cracked black pepper



• Pre-heat oven to 220c (425f)



• Divide the pumpkin, potato, beetroot, onions, carrots, garlic, lemon thyme, oil, salt and pepper between 2 large trays and toss to combine



• Roast for 30 m or until tender and golden



• Serves 8

This dish is absolutely delicious and the standout for me...yummmm!!!

For the full meal hop on over to my other blog Queen of the Armchair

Bon Appetit...Dzintra

Work Experience...Lunch At The Mantle...23rd September 2009

Back at my classes this week and the hours are going much quicker than I thought they would and I am thoroughly enjoying being back in the Kitchen!!!

Today's offerings are:

As always Chef has allocated Courses to us all...and I have Dessert this time...

and what a Dessert it is too...delectable Chocolate Pots with Orange & Polenta Biscuits!!!

Mushrooms being prepared for...Stuffed Mushrooms with Green Salad...

Spatchcock on the trays waiting...

Whole Sole ready for the oven...

Brandy Snaps ready for Dessert!!!

First Entree is Roasted Asparagus with Cherry Tomatoes, Black Olives and Basil...

The next choice is Pan-Seared Scallops with Crispy Bacon and Sage Puy Lentils and Green Salad...

mmm...Scallops...one of my favourite Seafoods!!!

Stuffed Mushrooms atop Green Salad...

Beef Curry with Rice...

Roasted Garlic & Sage Spatchcock with Potato & Prosciutto...

Whole Sole with Herb Crust and Roasted Cherry Tomatoes & Sourdough...

These are Eve's Puddings but I didn't manage a pic of the prepared ones for Service...

must've been too busy with my Chocolate Pots and Orange Polenta Biscuits!!!

Chocolate Pots with Orange & Polenta Biscuits...

and finally Raspberry Mousse filled Brandy Snaps!!!

A very tasty combination today of flavours and textures!!!

And for all the Chocolate Lovers out there here is the Recipe for the Chocolate Pots...serves 4

285 mls pure cream

200g best quality chocolate (70% cocoa solids)

2 egg yolks

3T brandy

20g butter

• In a thick bottomed pan heat the cream until nearly boiling
• Remove and set aside for 1 minute before snapping in your chocolate
• Stir in until melted and smooth
• Once melted, beat in egg yolks and brandy and stir until smooth
• Allow to cool slightly before stirring in the butter until the mixture is smooth
• Pour into individual serving pots and place in fridge

ORANGE AND POLENTA BISCUITS

~Makes 24 (but I got nearly double that!!!)~

• 170g butter
• 170g sugar
• 255g polenta
• 100g plain flour (I used gluten free flour)
• zest of 2-3 oranges, finely chopped
• 2 large eggs
• Rub the butter, sugar, polenta and flour together before mixing in the orange zest and the eggs
• Cover with cling wrap and put in fridge for an hour until slightly firm
• Place a large square of baking paper on a baking tray and spoon small teaspoons of the mixture in lines 2cm apart
• Bake in pre heated oven at 190c for around 5-6 minutes until outside edges of the biscuits are lightly golden
• Remove from oven and allow to cool

This recipe worked beautifully for me using gluten free flour...so enjoy Vicki!!!

And Clarity here is the recipe for STUFFED MUSHROOMS

• 2 medium red capsicums, quartered, deseeded
• 250g soft cream cheese...at room temp
• 2T basil pesto
• 1T fresh lemon juice
• seasoning
• 8 large mushroom flats...stems trimmed
• 50g fresh breadcrumbs
• 1/2 bunch chives
• dressed salad leaves to serve

Pre heat oven to 180c...Line 2 baking trays with non stick baking paper

• preheat grill on high...place capsicum, skin side up, on a grill tray and cook under grill for 8-10m or until charred and blistered
• transfer to sealed plasic bag and stand 10m
• remove skin from capsicum and dice flesh
• combine diced capsicum, cream cheese, pesto, lemon juice and seasoning in bowl and mix well...adjust seasoning
• place the mushrooms on the lined baking trays stem side up
• spread filling evenly into the mushrooms
• combine breadcrumbs and chives and sprinkle over filling
• bake in preheated oven for 15m or until the mushrooms are cooked through and breadcrumbs are golden
• serve immediately with the dressed salad leaves

~Recipes from the College~

Nothing left but to enjoy...Bon Appetit!!!

Emma's turn now...29th April 2009 at The Mantle, TAFE

My course is quickly coming to an end...6 weeks to go...2 of which I have to spend in the Dining Room taking orders...serving food (normally cooked by us students)...I will be on waitering the last night of the Restaurant opening for the year...and Hospitality related businesses will be there...it will be good to be on the other end and see the Patrons...

Here we have the menu for Chef de Cuisine for the evening...Emma!!!

Polenta Chips with Garlic Aioli...

I know you have asked for the recipe for Aioli... Micki, I will try to make one here perhaps after the course and post it up for you...this was soooo delicious!!!
I just loved these roasted tomatoes coming out of the oven...

Ricotta Tortellini...

Fragrant That Chicken Broth...

Tea Smoked Salmon...

Duck Breasts, for...

Duck Breast with Fresh Braised Lentils, Thyme and Fondant Potato...

Apple rings for...

Roasted Loin of Pork with Salted Apple Salad and Potato Puree...

Blood Orange Curd Tartlet with Orange Mascarpone and Balsamic Glazed Strawberries...

Petit Pots au Chocolate

Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta with Fresh Pear Coulis...

Petit Fours...

Another successful night at our Training Restaurant...

The young apprentices are coming up with delicious menus...I'm sure they are all going to do well as they all are in the final stages of becoming 'Chef'...

As for me...I thought I would continue to try out new recipes at home at least weekly...

I have purchased some lovely lovely inspiring cookbooks...

And I am cooking along with Vicki over in California through my other blog...Queen of the Armchair aka Dzintra Stitcheries. We are using the Donna Hay magazines and I think we are going to have a lot of fun doing this...choosing the recipes...and then blogging about it...

I look forward to the next cook-up with you Vicki...

Thanks for stopping by...and Happy Cooking, Dzintra ♥