Cajun Spice mix

This is brilliant on fish and tofu.  You can adjust the chilli to your taste.  Add some lime juice for a running marinade or use it dry and bbq to your Cajun’s hearts content.

1/4 cup salt – I use Maldon salt because it just is better. Ground it up in your mortar and pestle

2 tbspn cayanne pepper

2 tbspn paprika

1 & 1/2 tbspn onion powder

1 tbspn black pepper

1 tbspn white pepper (or just 2 tbsp black)

1 tbspn garlic powder

2 tsp dried basil

2 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp dried thyme leaves

1 tsp mustard powder

1/8 tsp ground cloves

Mix all the ingredients together and store in an airtight jar for up to 2 or 3 months.

Recipe ideas:

• Mix equal parts of rice flour and cajun spice together.  Dip steaks of tofu into an egg wash and then into the rice/cajun mix and fry until brown.  Serve with a mustard mayonnaise.

• Sprinkle over the top of salmon and press lightly into the flesh of the fish.  BBQ or fry until the fish is cooked to your liking.  The spice mix will blacken but it tastes delicious.

• Sprinkle over the top of oven roasted potatoes and serve with a bit of sour cream.

• Drizzle some olive oil over some shelled prawns and then sprinkle over the cajun mix.  Fry or bbq until pink and serve with a wedge of lime and some fresh coriander.

Chilli sin Carne (chilli without meat)

This is my version of chilli without the meat.  It’s pretty versatile and can be eaten like chilli or as a pasta sauce or even as a sauce base for lasagne.  The secret to getting flavour into tofu and TVP is loads of spices.  It can be a bit rich with the red wine so just water if you like.  It freezes well and this recipe makes chilli for 4 – 6 people (with accompaniments) or freeze half and reheat gently in a saucepan.

2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 packet tvp which is about 250 g
300g tofu, mashed with a fork
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1tsp oregano chopped finely
1 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp dried chilli flakes
Few shakes of Tabasco
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp tomato sauce
425g can tomatoes, chopped
400g can red kidney beans, drained
200ml beer or red wine
Sea salt and pepper
2 tbsp coriander
To garnish
Avocado
Tomato
Lime juice
Coriander
Corn chips

• Soak the TVP in plenty of water for 15 min to rehydrate. Heat the oil in a large frypan and cook the onion for 5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic, stirring, then add the TVP and tofu. Fry for 5 min until slightly browned.

• Add the cumin, coriander, paprika, oregano, chilli, Tabasco, mustard, tomato sauce, tomatoes, beans and beer/wine and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 mins or until thickened. Season with salt and pepper, and stir in chopped coriander.

• To serve, spoon into warm pasta bowls or plates with plenty of rice. Garnish with diced avocado and tomato tossed with lime juice and coriander, then crush a handful of crisp corn chips over the top.

Scary vegetables

I used to be scared of radicchio. It looked all aloof and standoffish in the vegie shop and it seemed so unattainable.  But it’s actually very friendly, quite relaxed and very very delicious.  I invented this side dish to serve with salmon and it balances the oily fish very well. It’s quite bitter so you need just a touch of sugar to round it out.

1/2 head radicchio – look for a firm head with tightly packed leaves.

1 tbsp olive oil

1/4 – 1/2 cup sultanas covered in hot water to plump

1/2 cup white beans or cannellini

1 tbpsn granulated brown sugar

balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup pistachios or pine nuts

• Chop the radicchio into chunks.  I like to chop some into small chunks and then leave others quite big.  This will give variation to the final dish and leave some pieces undercooked which is lovely.  heat a frypan and throw the radicchio in and sprinkle in the sugar.  Turn the heat up to melt the sugar and caramelise the radicchio.  It needs to wilt.  When it starts to wilt, sprinkle in some balsamic. Not too much or it will be too acidic.

• When it has wilted to your desired level add the white beans and raisins and heat through.  serve with pistachios stirred through at the very end. In the picture I used borlotti beans.  These are ok but white beans are so much better.

Vegetarian eggplant moussaka

For the eggplant slices:

900g eggplant

salt

Cut the eggplant into slices about 1cm thick.  It doesn’t matter which way you slice the eggplant.  Sprinkle with a little salt and leave to draw out the bitter juices for 30 min.

Tomato sauce

1 onion finely chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon paprika
4 garlic cloves
1 400g tin tomatoes, chopped
1-1/12 teaspoon honey
200ml red wine

1 400g tin lentils, drained and rinsed.

Saute the onion until cooked and add the garlic and spices.  Saute for another minute until fragrant.  Add the tomatoes, red wine and honey. Cook down for about 30-45 until you have quick a thick sauce.  Add the lentils and cook out any remaining liquid.  Season with salt and pepper to your taste.

Bechamel sauce

60g butter

60g plain flour

600ml milk

1/2 cup cheddar cheese

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

1 tbsp mustard

Melt the butter in a saucepan add the garlic and saute for a couple of minutes until the garlic is cooked.  Add the flour and stir constantly for a couple of minutes to cook out the taste of the flour.  Heat the milk until it’s warm but don’t let it boil.  Add a little milk to the roux and mix thoroughly making sure there are no lumps.  Add a small amount and mix thoroughly until all the milk is mixed in.  It’s best to use a whisk as well as a wooden spoon.  The heat needs to be turned up to get the mixture to thicken but don’t let it burn or stick on the bottom. Constant stirring is required!  Add the egg and the cheese and mustard and season to your taste.

To assemble

Preheat oven to 170C

Lay the eggplant into the bottom of an oven proof dish.  Spread half the lentil and tomato sauce on top.  Top with a little mozzarella.  Repeat adding another layer.  Pour on the bechamel on the very top and top with more mozzarella.

Bake for about 30-45 min until the top is lovely and brown.

The best crunchy, spicy tofu

I discovered the best way to make tofu crunchy on the outside and squidgy on the inside.  Eggs. So it’s not vegan. But it does work.

1 block of your favourite tofu

1 egg, beaten

1/4  cup plain flour

1 tbsn cajun spice mix

peanut oil for shallow frying

Slice the tofu into steaks about 2 cm thick. MIx the plain flour with the spice mix. Dip into the egg and then press into the flour/spice mix. Make sure it’s all covered and press the flour down into the tofu a little with your fingers.  Shake off any excess flour.

Shallow fry until golden and crispy on both sides and drain on paper towel.  Serve with a green salad and a mustard mayonnaise.

‘Too easy’ fish bake

The words fish bake bring up some ugly connotations from my mother’s cooking where canned tuna did horrible things to corn and cheese sauce.  This recipe is not that.

400 – 500 grams white fish. I like flathead but snapper or john dory are also good.

extra virgin olive oil

canned artichokes, drained cut lengthways into slices or use marinated ones from the deli, or  chunks of cooked eggplant or cherry tomatoes, cut in half.  Once I used zucchini flowers cut in half.  They were excellent.

about 15 green olives

1/4 cup breadcrumbs

lemon zest

parmesan cheese

Drizzle a little oil on the bottom of your oven dish. lay the fish evenly over the bottom of the pan.  Place the artichokes, eggplant or tomatoes on the top or in between the pieces of fish and do the same with the olives.  add salt and pepper to your taste.  sprinkle the top with a bit of breadcrumbs, lemon zest and then sprinkle a little parmesan on the very top.

Bake at 160C for about 15 – 20 min.  Test your fish to make sure it’s cooked. Serve with potatoes or a green salad.

I’ll crumble for ya!

Winter is the best for crumbles. This is based on Stephanie’s crumble recipe though it’s not quite as sweet. But it’s sweet enough.

Oven – 200C

Dish – 20cm x 10cm baking dish

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp ground ginger

60 g unsalted butter

200g plain flour

Mix sugar, baking powder and ground ginger. In a separate bowl, crumble the butter into the flour. If you get lazy use a food processor. No one will hate you for it. The mix should be pea sized. Combine these two mixtures together. At this stage, you could refrigerate the mixture until you’re ready to put the crumble into the oven.

Poached fruit.

6 green apples, peeled, cored and chopped into chunks

1 bunch rhubarb, cut into 5cm lengths.

120g butter

4 tbs sugar

1 vanilla bean

cinnamon stick

Melt the butter and sugar gently. Add the spices and the apples. Cook for 10 min with the lid on. Remove the lid and cook for another 10 – 15 min until the apples are soft. Don’t move the apple around too much otherwise it will turn to mush. You can increase the heat a bit to get the apples to caramelise.

Lay the rhubarb evenly in the baking dish Top with the apples and pour any remaining syrup over the top.

Top with the crumble mix and bake for 30 min or until the edges are bubbling. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream or even custard if you’re that way inclined.