Archive for the 'Entrees' Category

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Paella Kebabs

palKeep entertaining stress-free with that can be made the day before. By reinventing classics, like seafood and spicy chorizo paella, there’s no need to skimp on flavour or style.

1 lemon, juiced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes
1/4 cup olive oil
16 bamboo skewers
4 chicken thigh fillets, cut in quarters
16 green prawn cutlets, de-veined
1 smoked chorizo sausage, cut into 8 slices
1 regular chorizo sausage, cut into 16 slices
1 red capsicum, roasted and peeled
1 yellow capsicum, roasted and peeled
1 Spanish onion, cut into large dice
salt and pepper

In a medium bowl combine the lemon juice, garlic, spices and olive oil. Coat the chicken and prawn pieces in the marinade. Cover and marinate in the fridge for 30mins – 1 hr. Heat the barbecue on medium high. Skewer the chicken, prawns, chorizo, capsicum and onion in any order you like, season well with salt and pepper. Cook on the barbecue for 7-12 minutes till golden and fragrant. Serves 16 as an entree

Tip: To roast capsicums, rub whole capsicums with oil and roast in the oven for 20 minutes at 180°C. Cover with cling wrap and cool. Peel off the skin and then slice. Make deconstructed paella by serving the skewers in small take-away containers filled with saffron rice pilaff.

Recipe by Camilla van Beuningen

Published on April 23, 2008 in Entrees. Closed Tags: .

Mushroom Loaf with Pistachio and Chestnuts

mushSubtle yet heady, the incredible depth of flavour and texture of mushroom comes to life in this modern take on classic stuffing. With hints of pistachio, and the occasional watery crunch of chestnuts, watch on as your guests nod in pleasure with each unctuous bite.

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups field mushrooms, thickly sliced
2 cups button mushrooms, cut in half
200g Swiss brown mushrooms, cut into quarters
10g dried porcini mushrooms, soaked for 5 mins in 1 cup boiling water
100g shitake mushrooms, thickly sliced
150g shimeji mushrooms, roughly torn
150g oyster mushrooms, roughly torn
280g whole peeled chestnuts, roughly chopped
140g water chestnuts, thickly sliced
50g peeled pistachio nuts, roughly chopped
1 cup continental parsley, roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 lemon, zested and juiced
4 eggs
½ cup plain flour
1 cup dried breadcrumbs

Heat the oven to 170°C. Line a terrine tin with baking paper. Heat the olive oil on high in a large non-stick frypan. Cook the prepared mushrooms in small batches for 1-2 mins till coloured. Remove to a bowl with a slotted spoon and continue until all the mushrooms are seared. Toss the chopped parsley, lemon juice, lemon zest and garlic through the mushroom mix. Cool. In a medium bowl combine the eggs, breadcrumbs and flour. Season well with salt and pepper. Spoon the mixture into the terrine tin and cover well with aluminium foil. Half fill a deep baking dish with warm water. Place the terrine tin in the water bath. Bake for 45-50 mins or till firm. Cool before removing from the tin. Serve with baby rocket and crusty bread. Serves 8

Tip: This is a perfect dish for vegetarians. The mushroom and parsley mix can be served as a warm salad simply by adding olive oil. If you don’t have a terrine tin, a loaf tin may be used.

Recipe by Camilla van Beuningen

Published on April 23, 2008 in Entrees. Closed Tags: .

Butterflied Prawns Szechwan Style

prawns16 tiger or banana prawns, butterflied with shell on, veins removed
2 tablespoons Szechwan peppercorns
2 tablespoons sea salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
3 tablespoons canola oil

In a dry fry pan roast the Szechwan peppercorns until fragrant. Place the peppercorns, sea salt and black pepper in a mortar and pestle, or spice grinder, and finely grind. Season the prawns with the Szechwan salt mix. Heat the oil in a large frypan on high and sear the prawns for 2-3 minutes till pink and firm. Serve with Asian greens and steamed rice. Serves 4

Recipe by Camilla van Beuningen

Published on April 22, 2008 in Entrees. Closed Tags: .

Tagliolini con Vongole Veraci- Tagliolini Pasta Served with Vongole

Serves 4 

Ingredients 

1 ½ kg of Vongole soaked in water for 24 hours to purge off sand

6 whole garlic cloves

1 chilli

extra virgin oilive oil

handful of chopped parsley & celery leaves

1 glass of white wine

800 gms of Tagliolini

cup of fish stock

 

Lightly fry chopped garlic & chopped chilli in 100ml of extra virgin olive oil.

Add Vongole to the pan with the chopped parsley & celery leaves.

Stir for 1 minute.

Then add white wine.

Cover the pan & cook for 3 minutes.

Add the Tagliolini (which has been cooked in boiling salted water).

Add the fish stock and toss the Tagliolini through the vongole so that the pasta absorbs the sauce.

Remove the garlic.

Serve into warm bowls.

 

Recipe by Joe Camilleri, Head Chef, Beppi’s Restaurant

To learn more about Chef Joe Camilleri and Beppi’s Restaurant, click here now!

 

Published on April 22, 2008 in Entrees. Closed Tags: .

Fig-and-Nut Stuffed Camembert

camLooking for a drop dead delicious dessert for a midweek dinner party, or a sophisticated take on the cheese plate? Then try this stuffed Camembert.

 

For larger parties, or for dramatic effect, use a large 500g Brie or Camembert, and then just increase the other ingredients to match. You can also try different flavoured honeys, such as native lemon myrtle, to create even more distinctive flavours.

1x 125g whole Camembert, cut in half horizontally
1 cup mixed nuts, roughly chopped *
¼ cup dried figs, roughly chopped
4 tablespoons of honey
2 fresh figs, optional
* We used almonds, cashews, Brazil nuts, walnuts, pecan nuts, macadamia nuts and roasted peeled hazelnuts.

Separate the two halves of the Camembert. Place one half on a serving plate. In a small bowl combine three-quarters of the mixed nuts and the dried figs. Spoon the mix onto the cheese and drizzle with 3 tablespoons of the honey. Place the lid on and finish off with the remaining nuts and honey. Cut the fresh figs into quarters and arrange on the top. Serve with crackers or sourdough bread. Serves 6-8 as nibbles

Tip: If you can’t find figs, substitute fresh strawberries trimmed and cut in half.

Recipe by Camilla van Beuningen

Published on April 22, 2008 in Entrees. Closed Tags: .

Grilled Sardines

sarBold and distinctive, the sardine’s flavours need little adornment. Add a little lemon and a hint of chilli with just a touch of parsley thrown in for good measure and you have a wonderfully fresh, rustic seafood dish ready to serve in just minutes.

1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
½ lemon, juiced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 bunch continental parsley, ½ picked and finely chopped, ½ left as whole stalks
salt and pepper
8 medium-sized sardines, gutted and washed
2 lemons, cut in half to serve

To make marinade, combine the chilli, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, chopped parsley and salt and pepper. Marinate sardines for 10 minutes. Discard marinade. Heat a BBQ or grill on medium/high. Stuff the bellies of the sardines with the parsley stalks. Grill for 4 minutes on each side or till the flesh is cooked and flaky. Sprinkle with sea salt and fresh lemon juice before serving. Serves 6-8

Note: To gut the fish, make a straight cut in the belly of the sardine and pull out the guts. Wash under cold running water to remove blood. Place in a clean bowl.

Tip: Serve grilled sardines with a chunky tomato salsa made with parsley, lemon juice, chilli and a touch of raw garlic for a fresh twist.

Recipe by Camilla van Beuningen

Other delicious Greek recipes:

* Slow-Cooked Lamb

* Greek Doughnuts

Published on April 22, 2008 in Entrees. Closed Tags: .

Roasted Tomato, Thyme and Goats Cheese Tart

rtomSimple, tasty and quick to make, this gorgeous tart is versatile too. Serve it warm as a starter, cold at a picnic or bite-sized for a sophisticated canapé.

1 roll butter puff pastry, defrosted
plain flour, for rolling
500g ripe cherry or Roma tomatoes, cut in half or quarters if large
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon honey
salt and pepper
2 tablspoons olive oil for drizzling
120g/1 log goats cheese, sliced

Heat the oven to 180°C, line a baking tray with bakers paper. Sprinkle a large chopping board or kitchen bench with a little plain flour. Roll the puff pastry into a rectangle of 23cm by 20cm and place on the prepared baking tray. Using your thumb and forefinger pinch the edge of the pastry pulling up as you do so to make a raised border. Scatter the tomatoes onto the pastry. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle on the thyme, honey and olive oil. Bake for 20 minutes till the pastry is cooked and golden. Place the goats-cheese slices on top of the tomatoes and cook for a further 5 minutes till melted. Serve warm with a roasted red capsicum coulis, or cold with a Parmesan and rocket salad. Serves 4-6

Tip: If rolls of pastry are unavailable, use a sheet of butter puff pastry rolled to correct size. For a Mediterranean take, add olives, caramelised onions and anchovies.
Feta cheese can be used as a substitute for goats cheese.

Recipe by Camilla van Beuningen

 

Other delicious recipes with tomatoes:

* Green Tomato Chutney

* Rustic Tomato Salad

Published on April 22, 2008 in Entrees. Closed Tags: .

Baked Asparagus Gratin

graitin2 bunches of asparagus, washed and trimmed
½ cup of Japanese breadcrumbs (available at most Asian stores. Use traditional breadcrumbs if unavailable)
½ cup of grated Parmesan
zest and juice of ½ a lemon
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil

Heat the oven to 200°C. Spray a 20 x 30cm baking dish with vegetable oil spray. Place the asparagus spears into the dish, all facing in the same direction. In a bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, lemon zest and season to taste. Evenly cover the asparagus with this mixture. In a small bowl combine the lemon juice and olive oil, drizzle evenly over the breadcrumbs. Bake for 15-20 minutes till the asparagus is tender and the breadcrumbs are golden. Serves 4

Recipe by Camilla van Beuningen

Other delicious recipes with asparagus

* Crispy Wonton Asparagus

 

Published on April 22, 2008 in Entrees. Closed Tags: .